The theme of the day, officially, was "Many hands make light work”.
But on this particular occasion, it was also "Many languages make full hearts."
On Wednesday, January 22, 2020 KLH Group lived out these tandem truisms with our "Day of Caring" partners from Hyundai Capital. That crisp Lowcountry afternoon, we had the delight of shepherding 150 corporate guests from their retreat at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island to the sweetest little work site: Charleston Bilingual Academy in Park Circle. The pre-K-through-elementary school programs Spanish and Mandarin immersion education with an aim to "inspire children to impact lives around them regardless of linguistic and cultural barriers."
On arrival at the school, crews and gear were divvied up. Some painted a mural along the fence. A few more created a butterfly garden. Several stained the playground equipment, while dozens worked on landscaping. Others created art for the interior walls of the school. And another group found smaller hands pitching in as an onlooking cluster of students joined in to paint the basketball hoops and court.
Our cool down after such an industrious day? A game of soccer with a gaggle of tireless grade-schoolers, of course! There was really no better way to cap such a meaningful event than genuinely joyful playtime with the little beneficiaries of all that had been accomplished in just a few hours. As adults caught their collective breath, several of the students took to the mic to share their impressive Spanish and Mandarin skills. Hearing their proud little voices and observing their self-confidence, it was apparent the school is truly nurturing "world changers."
As we presented Hyundai Capital's VP of Sales with a plaque to remain at the site, attesting “Mural created by Hyundai Capital,” he remarked that it was the most organized Day of Caring in which he's participated. We've always believed that every social impact event we share deserves thoughtful planning and attention to detail, and we love how that falls so positively on our partners. But we know it is only one component of a day like this. It's the all-in, rolled-up-sleeved, totally-game and good-humored effort of our guest teams that makes everything come together - and memories that last forever.
We are also no stranger to the awe-inspiring gaze over the end product of a day like the one at Charleston Bilingual Academy. The play structures were stunning, the mural was vibrant, the grounds were charming. But what stopped us in our tracks was the sizeable crew that stayed behind, long after the charter bus had rolled out, to make sure the new cameras were wired and installed to exacting standards. It was dusk before this group finally crawled, exhausted but happy, into the Uber returning them to Kiawah.
This is the impact. It is the energy drawn from teammates, the example set for young recipients, the gratitude that grows out of giving. And no matter the one being spoken, it is the language of love.
